Marcytoglobosins A and B, Cytochalasans from a Marine Sponge Associated Chaetomium globosum 162105 Fungus.

Two new cytochalasans, marcytoglobosins A (1) and B (2) were isolated from the marine sponge associated fungus Chaetomium globosum 162105, along with six known compounds (3-8). The complete structures of two new compounds were determined based on 1D/2D NMR and HR-MS spectroscopic analyses coupled with ECD calculations. All eight isolates were evaluated for their antibacterial activity. Among them, compounds 3-8 displayed antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas syringae pv. Actinidiae, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Edwardsiella piscicida with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 10 to 25 µg/mL.

Second primary malignancy post immunotherapy: A case report of 2 cases.

RATIONALE: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown high efficacies as the first-line treatment of various advanced malignancies. Yet, the effect and practice patterns of immune checkpoint inhibitors on the second primary tumors are still unclear. Second primary malignancy post immunotherapy, there is paucity in such cases being reported. PATIENT CONCERNS: We report 2 cases of a 57-year-old woman with nonsmall cell lung cancer and a 69-year-old man with metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma treated with immunotherapy who developed second primary malignancies during the therapy. DIAGNOSIS: Second primary malignancy during the therapy. INTERVENTIONS: In addition to the treatments of the second primary malignancies, maintenance immunotherapy was continued for the patients. OUTCOMES: Overall survival in both patients was longer than 12 months, and the treatments were well tolerated. The adverse reactions mainly included depigmentation of hair and facial and limb skin in patient 1 and diarrhea in patient 2. LESSONS: It is necessary to recognize that the second primary malignancy may occur during the immunotherapy, and more clinical studies and practices are still needed for the adjustment of the regimens of immunotherapy. Full diagnosis, timely treatment, and long-term regular follow-up have important significance for patients with malignancies.

Oral Health Clearance Outcomes for Cardiovascular Surgery.

Objective: To determine the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients receiving dental extractions before planned cardiovascular surgery (CVS) and examine factors that may affect the chance of oral health clearance. Patients and Methods: A retrospective medical record review was performed of patients who underwent dental screening before CVS from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2021, at a major medical institution. A total of 496 patients met the inclusion criteria and were divided into 2 groups. Group 1 patients were cleared to advance to planned CVS (n=390). Group 2 patients were not cleared for surgery and subsequently underwent dental extractions before planned CVS (n=106). Results: Six patients (5.7%) experienced postoperative complications after dental extraction that resulted in an emergency room visit. No deaths occurred after dental extraction before CVS. However, 4 patients died within 30 days of CVS, 3 from Group 1 (0.77%) and 1 from Group 2 (0.94%). Dental extraction before planned CVS showed a borderline significant association with death based on unadjusted (P=.06) and age-adjusted analysis (P=.05). Patients who reported seeing a dentist routinely had a significantly higher chance of oral health clearance (P <.001). No differences were noted between the 2 groups with regard to age, sex, or 30-day hospital readmission rate. Conclusion: Patients who had dental extractions completed before planned CVS may be at an increased risk of mortality. Further studies are needed to examine this relationship. Emphasis should be on prioritization of routine dental visits before planned CVS.

Eukaryotic Translation Initiation Factor 2 Subunit ß as a Prognostic Biomarker Associates With Immune Cell Infiltration in Breast Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: The present study aims to explore the expression level of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 subunit ß (EIF2S2) in breast cancer tissue, and its role both in breast cancer prognosis and in the immune microenvironment. METHODS: To assess the association between the expression levels of EIF2S2 and prognosis, the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database was initially applied to determine differences in the gene expression of EIF2S2 in various malignant and normal tissues. Furthermore, the expression levels of EIF2S2 were determined in the clinical breast cancer tissues and corresponding para-neoplastic tissues using immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were employed to explore the association between EIF2S2 expression levels and patient prognosis. Finally, the correlation between the expression levels of EIF2S2 and immune cell infiltration in breast cancer was analyzed using the TIMER2.0 database, and subsequently validated by immunohistochemical experiments. RESULTS: The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis database revealed the presence of higher expression levels of EIF2S2 in various different types of cancer compared with normal cells, also correlating its expression with both the age and the tumor stage of patients with breast cancer. The survival analysis results revealed that high expression levels of EIF2S2 could be a risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. Moreover, the EIF2S2 expression level was found to be closely associated with the infiltration levels of various immune cells, including regulatory T cells, CD4+, CD8+, and natural killer cells, in breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the present study has demonstrated that an upregulated expression level of EIF2S2 in breast cancer may be associated with poor patient prognosis, affecting immune cell infiltration in breast cancer. Taken together, the findings of the present study have shown that EIF2S2 expression may be a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Trilobatin rescues fulminant hepatic failure by targeting COX2: Involvement of ROS/TLR4/NLRP3 signaling.

BACKGROUND: Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) lacks efficient therapies notwithstanding increased comprehending of the inflammatory response and oxidative stress play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of this type of hepatic damage. Trilobatin (TLB), a naturally occurring food additive, is endowed with anti-inflammation and antioxidant properties. PURPOSE: In current study, we evaluated the effect of TLB on FHF with a mouse model with d-galactosamine/lipopolysaccharide (GalN/LPS)-induced FHF and LPS-stimulated Kupffer cells (KCs) injury. METHODS: Mice were randomly divided into seven groups: control group, TLB 40 mg/kg + control group, GalN/LPS group, TLB 10 mg/kg + GalN/LPS group, TLB 20 mg/kg + GalN/LPS group, TLB 40 mg/kg + GalN/LPS group, bifendate 150 mg/kg + GalN/LPS group. The mice were administered intragastrically TLB (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) for 7 days (twice a day) prior to injection of GalN (700 mg/kg)/LPS (100 µg/kg). The KCs were pretreated with TLB (2.5, 5, 10 µM) for 2 h or its analogue (10 µM) or COX2 inhibitor (10 µM), and thereafter challenged by LPS (1 µg/ml) for 24 h. RESULTS: TLB effectively rescued GalN/LPS-induced FHF. Furthermore, TLB inhibited TLR 4/NLRP3/pyroptosis pathway, and caspase 3-dependent apoptosis pathway, along with reducing excessive cellular and mitochondrial ROS generation and enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis. Intriguingly, TLB directly bound to COX2 as reflected by transcriptomics, molecular docking technique and surface plasmon resonance assay. Furthermore, TLB failed to attenuate LPS-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in KCs in the absence of COX2. CONCLUSION: Our findings discover a novel pharmacological effect of TLB: protecting against FHF-induced pyroptosis and apoptosis through mediating ROS/TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway and reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. TLB may be a promising agent with outstanding safety profile to treat FHF.

CircFOXN2 alleviates glucocorticoid- and tacrolimus-induced dyslipidemia by reducing FASN mRNA stability by binding to PTBP1 during liver transplantation.

We aimed to examine impacts and functional mechanism of circular RNA forkhead box N2 (FOXN2) in tacrolimus (TAC)- and dexamethasone (Dex)-induced lipid metabolism disorders. RNA level and protein contents in TAC, Dex, or combined TAC- plus Dex-treated patients and Huh-7 cells were measured utilizing quantitative real-time (qRT)-PCR and western blotting assays measured the formation of lipid droplet. Total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels were determined using corresponding commercial kits and Oil red O staining. RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull-down verified the binding relationship among circFOXN2, polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) and fatty acid synthase (FASN). Male C57BL/6 mice were used to establish a dyslipidemia mouse model to validate the discoveries at the cellular level. Dex treatment significantly promoted TAC-mediated increase of TC and TG in serum samples and Huh-7 cells. Moreover, circFOXN2 was reduced but FASN was elevated in TAC-treated Huh-7 cells, and these expression trends were markedly enhanced by Dex cotreatment. Overexpression of circFOXN2 could reverse the accumulation of TC and TG and the upregulation of FASN and sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 2 (SREBP2) mediated by Dex and TAC cotreatment. Mechanistically, circFOXN2 reduced FASN mRNA stability by recruiting PTBP1. The protective roles of circFOXN2 overexpression on lipid metabolism disorders were weakened by FASN overexpression. In vivo finding also disclosed that circFOXN2 greatly alleviated the dysregulation of lipid metabolism triggered by TAC plus Dex. CircFOXN2 alleviated the dysregulation of lipid metabolism induced by the combination of TAC and Dex by modulating the PTBP1/FASN axis.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Collectively, our experiments revealed for the first time that circFOXN2 alleviated the Dex- and TAC-induced dysregulation of lipid metabolism by regulating the PTBP1/FASN axis. These findings suggested that circFOXN2 and FASN might be candidate targets for the treatment of Dex- and TAC-induced metabolic disorders.

Elastic modulus-reflected liver lesion stiffness relates to worse prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients with liver metastasis.

BACKGROUND: Liver stiffness relates to more advanced tumor status and poor outcomes in primary liver cancer, while its prognostic role in pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis is unclear. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the correlation of elastic modulus (EM)-reflected liver lesion stiffness with clinical characteristics, tumor markers, and survival among pancreatic cancer patients with liver metastasis. METHODS: Fifty-four pancreatic cancer patients with liver metastasis were enrolled, and the EM of liver metastasis and peripheral liver tissue was measured by two-dimensional shear wave elastography. Relative EM was calculated as the ratio of EM in liver metastasis to that in peripheral liver tissue, which reflected the relative liver lesion stiffness. RESULTS: The median relative EM of liver metastasis was 7.8 (interquartile range: 4.8-10.7) folds. Relative EM of liver metastasis was correlated with primary pancreatic cancer location (P = 0.048), the presence of extra lung metastasis (P = 0.040), liver metastasis ≥ 3 cm (P = 0.007), and the absence of extraskeletal metastasis (P = 0.036); but it was not correlated with tumor markers such as CA199, CA125, or CEA (all P > 0.05). Encouragingly, high relative EM of liver metastasis (cut off by median value) was correlated with poor progression-free survival (PFS) (P = 0.032) but not overall survival (OS) (P = 0.285). Multivariable Cox analysis showed that high relative EM of liver metastasis (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.768, P = 0.048) and multiple metastases (HR = 2.262, P = 0.036) independently predicted decreased PFS, but only abnormal CEA independently forecasted decreased OS (HR = 2.390, P = 0.027). CONCLUSION: Elastic modulus reflected liver lesion stiffness may predict a worse prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients with liver metastasis.

Probing Depth and Peri-implant Health as Related to Buccal and Lingual Bone Thickness Around Dental Implants: An Experimental Study.

A retrospective chart review was conducted of CBCT images captured between November 2019 and April 2021 on patients who underwent dental implant placement and had a periodontal charting. The buccal and lingual bone thickness around the implants was measured as an average of three measurements taken from the buccal and lingual aspects of implants. Implants with peri-implantitis were placed in Group 1, and implants with peri-implant mucositis or good peri-implant health were placed in Group 2. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used to compare the differences between the bone thicknesses of the groups. In total, 93 CBCT radiographs were screened, and 15 CBCT images with both an implant and corresponding periodontal charting were analyzed. Of the 15 implants examined, 5 presented with peri-implantitis (33%), 1 with peri-implant mucositis, and 9 with good peri-implant health. Within the limitations of this study, buccal bone thickness averaging ≥ 1.10 mm or midlingual probing depths ≤ 3.4 mm correlates with a more favorable peri-implant response. Larger studies are needed to substantiate these findings.

(-)-Guaiol triggers immunogenic cell death and inhibits tumor growth in non-small cell lung cancer.

(-)-Guaiol is a sesquiterpenoid found in many traditional Chinese medicines with potent antitumor activity. However, its therapeutic effect and mechanism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been fully elucidated. In this study, (-)-Guaiol was found to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) in NSCLC in vitro. Using (-)-Guaiol in vivo, we found that (-)-Guaiol could suppress tumor growth, increase dendritic cell activation, and enhance T-cell infiltration. Vaccination experiments suggest that cellular immunoprophylaxis after (-)-Guaiol intervention can suppress tumor growth. Previous studies have found that (-)-Guaiol induces apoptosis and autophagy in NSCLC. Apoptosis and autophagy are closely related to ICD. To explore whether autophagy and apoptosis are involved in (-)-Guaiol-induced ICD, we used inhibitors of apoptosis and autophagy. The results showed that the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) was partly reversed after inhibition of apoptosis and autophagy. In conclusion, these results suggested that the (-)-Guaiol triggers immunogenic cell death and inhibits tumor growth in NSCLC.

Identification of KIF21B as a Biomarker for Colorectal Cancer and Associated with Poor Prognosis.

Objective: This study is aimed at exploring the function of KIF21B in colorectal cancer. Methods: The expression of KIF21B was analyzed by the UALCAN database, GEPIA site, and TIMER site. The survival rate was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves, and the prognosis was analyzed by ROC. Relevant signaling pathways and biological processes were analyzed by GO-KEGG enrichment analysis. The correlation between KIF21B and cancer immune infiltrates was analyzed by TIMER. The functional state of KIF21B in various types of cancers was conducted by single-cell RNA-sequencing. Furthermore, the expression of KIF21B was verified by real-time qPCR and Western blotting. The cell proliferation was measured by CCK8 assay. The cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion were determined by the transwell assay. Results: Combination analysis of bioinformatics methods revealed that KIF21B is high expression in CRC, associated with poor survival. KIF21B and associated genes were significantly enriched in covalent chromatin modification. The expression of KIF21B was positively correlated with infiltrating levels of CD4+ T cells and neutrophils, cell apoptosis, and metastasis. KIF21B was upregulated expression in CRC cell lines. KIF21B deficiency reduced cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusions: Our study suggested that KIF21B may be a biomarker in CRC.

miR­92a represses the viability and migration of nerve cells in Hirschsprung's disease by regulating the KLF4/PI3K/AKT pathway.

Hirschsprung's disease (HSCR) is an intestinal disease caused by defects in neural crest cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Many reports have proposed that miRNA dysregulation is related to the occurrence of HSCR. However, the roles and mechanisms of miRNAs have not been thoroughly studied. The levels of miR­92a and KLF4 were examined using qRT­PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Cell viability, migration and apoptosis were evaluated by MTT, Transwell and flow cytometry assays, respectively. A dual­luciferase reporter assay was employed to verify the binding relationship between miR­92a and KLF4. Levels of PI3K/AKT signals were further determined by western blot assay. Herein, elevated expression of miR­92a and reduced expression of KLF4 were found in HSCR tissues, and their expression patterns were negatively correlated. Overexpression of miR­92a inhibited cell viability and migration but enhanced cell apoptosis. However, overexpression of KLF4 had the opposite effects. Mechanistically, KLF4 was a target of miR­92a and it negatively affected biological functions by activating PI3K/AKT signaling. These results proved that miR­92a inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of nerve cells by regulating the KLF4/PI3K/AKT axis.

[Intervention strategy based on Caprini risk assessment model and its clinical effect in preventing deep vein thrombosis after total hip replacement].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze clinical effect of intervention strategies based on Caprini thrombosis risk assessment model for preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after total hip replacement (THR). METHODS: From January 2018 to December 2021, 197 patients with THR were selected as retrospective cohort study subjects, including 114 males and 83 females, aged from 45 to 80 years with an average of (66.81±10.34) years old. Caprini thrombosis risk assessment model introduced in May 2019 was used as boundary and divided into two groups, 94 patients were performed routine intervention strategies(control group) and 103 patients were received intervention strategies based on Caprini thrombosis risk assessment model (observation group). Incidence of DVT, visual analogue scale (VAS), circumference difference of affected limb, serum D-dimer (D-D) level and Harris score of hip function between two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: One-hundred and ninty-seven patients were followed up from 1 to 3 months with an average of (2.57±0.31) months. Incidence of DVT was 1.94% in observation group and 11.70% in control group, and there was statistical difference between two groups (χ2=6.642, P=0.010). VAS scores between two groups decreased gradually (P<0.001). There was significant difference between two groups in VAS score on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 7th day after operation (P<0.05), but no difference between two groups on the 10th day after operation (P>0.05). Difference in circumference of the affected limb between two groups after operation was gradually reduced (P<0.001), and the difference in circumference of the affected limb between two groups was statistically significant on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 7th, and 10th day after operation(P<0.05). Levels of serum D-D between two groups were gradually decreased after operation(P<0.05), and differences in serum D-D levels between two groups on the 8th, 24th, 48th, and 72th hour after operation were statistically significant (P<0.05). Pain score and Harris total scores between two groups were significantly increased as tomes goes on(P<0.001), no difference in VAS at 3 months after discharge, and there were statistically significant differences in Harris scores between two groups immediately after discharge, 1 month and 3 months after discharge (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Intervention strategy based on Caprini thrombosis risk assessment model could reduce incidence of DVT in patients with THR, improve postoperative pain and swelling of the affected limb, and promote recovery of hip joint function.

Comparison of the Value of Conventional Ultrasound and Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound-Guided Puncture Biopsy in Different Sizes of Peripheral Pulmonary Lesions.

Objective: To compare the clinical value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and conventional ultrasound-guided puncture biopsy in peripulmonary lesions of different sizes. Materials and Methods: 110 patients with peripulmonary lesions were randomly divided into two groups: the conventional ultrasound-guided group and the contrast-enhanced ultrasound-guided group. The lesions in the two groups were further divided into two groups according to the size of the lesions, and the tissues taken after puncture biopsy were sent for pathological examination. The pathological results were compared with the postoperative pathological results and other examination results, and the complications were recorded at the same time. Results: In the conventional ultrasound group, the success rate of single puncture was 72.7% and the success rate of puncture was 80.0%; in the contrast group, the success rate of single puncture was 90.9% and the success rate of puncture was 94.6%. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant. There was no significant difference in needle bleeding and pneumothorax between the two groups. In the <30 mm group, there was no significant difference in the success rate of single puncture and the success rate of puncture between the two groups according to the size of the lesions. In the ≥30 mm group, the success rate of single puncture (97.1%) and puncture success rate (97.1%) in the contrast guidance group were higher than those in the conventional ultrasound guidance group (70.3%, 78.4%) and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with conventional ultrasound, for peripheral pulmonary lesions guided by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography, especially when the maximum diameter of the lesion is ≥ 30 mm, needle biopsy has better guiding significance; for peripheral lung lesions with a maximum diameter of <30 mm, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography is compared with conventional ultrasound guidance. The puncture success rate was not significantly different.

The influence of antimicrobial varnish on peri-implant soft tissue health: case report.

Bacterial biofilm in the oral cavity and around dental implants may trigger an inflammatory response of the peri-implant soft tissue. Emerging antimicrobial products have been developed to combat peri-implant soft tissue pathology; however, limited evidence is available evaluating their effectiveness. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first documented case report in the literature assessing the effect of Cervitec Plus around dental implants. This case report provides an example of a patient presenting to a periodontal specialty clinic with peri-implant pathology and subsequently treated with antimicrobial varnish following dental hygiene peri-implant therapy. The report serves to evaluate the efficacy of peri-implant soft tissue pathology utilizing antimicrobial varnish as measured by percent of bleeding upon probing, presence of suppuration, and changes in implant probing depths. Understanding the impact of bacterial plaque on peri-implant soft tissue and the effectiveness of antimicrobial products in conjunction with dental hygiene peri-implant therapy may provide patients with optimal peri-implant health and long-term success of dental implants.

Teledentistry in the management of a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma manifesting as a gingival swelling: A case report.

Oral cavity lymphomas constitute only 3% of all lymphomas in the general population but are the third most common oral malignancy. A 67-year-old female with a history of osteoporosis, Graves' disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was referred to the Department of Dental Specialties with a chief complaint of persistent soft tissue swelling facial to the maxillary incisors of possible non-odontogenic origin. To expedite care, the patient was first seen via teledentistry and subsequently appointed for an in-person evaluation and treatment. Examination revealed 1-3 mm probing depths and a firm, non-tender, non-fluctuant mass in the facial soft tissues approximating teeth nos. 7-10. Biopsy of the affected area was performed. A diagnosis of recurrent follicle center cell lymphoma, a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, was rendered. The patient was subsequently referred to the Oncology and Hematology team, followed for 6 weeks and remained symptom-free. This case underlies the importance of teledentistry to expedite care and manage patient expectations. Additionally, it also underscores the importance of microscopic examination of tissue samples from oral lesions that appear non-odontogenic in nature and reinforces the role of dentistry in uncovering the oral-systemic link.

Viewpoint: Periprosthetic joint infection and dental antibiotic prophylaxis guidelines.

The purpose of this viewpoint is to provide a framework that is used within the Mayo Clinic to align recommendations from infectious disease experts, dental specialists, and orthopedic surgeons with regards to need for antibiotic prophylaxis prior to invasive dental procedures.

New NF-κB Inhibitory Steroids from the Marine Sponge Dysidea avara Collected from the South China Sea.

Chemical investigation of the marine sponge Dysidea avara, collected from the South China Sea, yielded 13 steroids, including nine new (1-9) and four known (10-13) ones. The new structures were elucidated as (3S,14R)-3,14-dihydroxycholesta-5,8-dien-7-one (1), (22E,24R)-7α-ethoxy-5α,6α-epoxyergosta-8(14),22-dien-3ß-ol (2), 3ß-hydroxy-7α-ethoxy-5α,6α-epoxy-8(14)-cholestene (3), 3ß,5α-dihydroxy-6α-ethoxychofesta-7,9(11)-diene (4), 3ß,5α-dihydroxy-6ß-ethoxycholest-7-ene (5), (22E,24R)-24-ethoxy-3ß,5α-dihydroxy-6ß-ethoxyergosta-7,22-diene (6), (22E)-3ß,5α-dihydroxy-6ß-ethoxycholesta-7,22-diene (7), 24-ethoxy-3ß,5α-dihydroxy-6ß-ethoxycholest-7-ene (8 and 9), by extensive spectroscopic analyses, such as HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR data. The absolute configuration of 1 was assigned by comparison the experimental ECD spectra with the calculated ones. Among the 13 metabolites, compounds 1, 4, 11, 12, and 13 showed NF-κB inhibitory activities in human HER-293 cells with IC50 values of 6.4, 18.7, 8.1, 9.6, and 7.5 µM, respectively. Preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis unveiled that the conjugated ketones or unsaturated double bonds might be the functional groups for the five active steroids.

lncRNA TUG1 regulates angiogenesis via the miR­204­5p/JAK2/STAT3 axis in hepatoblastoma.

Hepatoblastoma is the most common malignant hepatic tumour type with hypervascularity in early childhood. In recent decades, emerging evidence has proven that long non­coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve an important oncogenic role in the pathogenesis of hepatoblastoma. However, the underlying mechanism of lncRNA taurine upregulated 1 (TUG1) in the angiogenesis of hepatoblastoma remains unknown. The expression patterns of TUG1 and microRNA (miR)­204­5p were detected in hepatoblastoma tissues and cell lines via reverse transcription­quantitative PCR and were analysed using a Pearson's correlation test. A tube formation assay was performed using human umbilical vein endothelial cells to assess the vasculogenic activity of treated HuH­6 cells. ELISA was used to detect the level of the secretory proangiogenic factor VEGFA in the culture media of HuH­6 cells. A dual luciferase reporter assay was performed to validate the binding relationships of TUG1/miR­204­5p and miR­204­5p/Janus kinase 2 (JAK2). Moreover, western blotting was conducted to measure the protein expression levels of VEGFA, phosphorylated (p)­JAK2, JAK2, p­STAT3 and STAT3. It was identified that TUG1 was upregulated, while miR­204­5p was downregulated in hepatoblastoma tissues and cells. TUG1 knockdown inhibited angiogenesis induced by hepatoblastoma cells. Furthermore, miR­204­5p was identified as a target of TUG1. The results demonstrated that TUG1 attenuated the inhibitory effect of miR­204­5p on the JAK2/STAT3 pathway and promoted angiogenesis in hepatoblastoma cells. In summary, TUG1 was upregulated in hepatoblastoma and suppressed miR­204­5p, thereby activating the downstream signalling pathway of JAK2/STAT3 to facilitate angiogenesis. The present findings will provide novel targets for the treatment of hepatoblastoma.